Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Jawad, Azhar Uddin, Adul Jalil Khan, Sana Hussain, Rahmanullah Jan, Zabihullah Afridi, Usama Fahad, Shumaila Javaid, Zafar Iqbal.
Mental Health problems among Healthcare workers in a tertiary care hospital designated for COVID-19, in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Pak J Chest Med Jan ;27(3):146-51.

Background: The coronavirus disease has substantially impacted the health and wellbeing of everyone around the world, especially the frontline health care workers. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate Covid-19`s psychological effects on frontline health care workers (HCWs), including anxiety and depression. Methodology: Healthcare workers (HCWs) in COVID-19 Hospital, Nishterabad, were surveyed in a cross-sectional study. A 14-item hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS Score) and self-reported demographic information was used to collect data. The impact of various independent variables on the development of anxiety and depression was estimated using multinomial logistic regression in SPSS version 28. Results: In 139 individuals, 72% (n=100) were male. 62% (n=86) were below 30 years of age. The minimum age was 20 years and maximum 48 years with a standard deviation of 5.2 and a median of 29. 58.3% (n=80) had a HADS score of less than or equal to 7 and were categorized as normal; 27.3% (n=38) had a HADS score between 7 and 11 and were declared borderline depressed. Furthermore, 14.4% (n=21) had a HADS score of more than 11. 31.7% (n=44) of the study participants were abnormal (borderline abnormal and abnormal). Among the participants 55.4 % (n= 77) were normal, 36.7% (n=51) were borderline abnormal while 7.9 (n=11) were abnormal for anxiety. In total, 44.6% (n= 62) had a HADS score of more than seven and were categorized as diseased (both borderline and abnormal). Participants working in the ICUs were positively associated with the development of new-onset depression and anxiety (p=0.000, aOR=2.9 CI 1.2-7.1) and (p=0.006, aOR=3.5 CI 1.4-8.9). Similarly, participants satisfied with their current job had fewer odds of developing depression and anxiety (p-value=0.000, aOR 0.16 CI 0.06-0.44) and (p=0.000, aOR=0.148 CI 0.06-0.40). On the other hand, gender, monthly income, education, and address have no significant association with the development of depression and anxiety. Conclusion: Frontline healthcare workers are more prone to developing anxiety and depression during the Covid-19 pandemic. Psychological support should be provided to young healthcare workers and nurses. HCWs` physical and mental well-being depends on measures to protect them from work-related exposure.

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